NHYSA Open Investigation Of Ford trucks

DETROIT, Oct 6, 2003; Reuters reported that U.S. safety
officials said on Monday they had opened a defect investigation
into 101,000 Ford heavy-duty diesel pickups and sport utility
vehicles after six reports of power loss due to an apparent
electrical glitch.

The investigation by the U.S. National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration covers 2002 and 2003 Ford F-Series Super
Duty pickups and Expedition SUVs sold with 7.3 liter diesel
engines and adjustable pedals.

The trucks use a sensor that measures how far the
accelerator pedal is pressed down to control how much fuel
flows to the engine. According to NHTSA, the sensor doesn't
always work with adjustable pedals, causing the engine to idle
or slow down even as a driver presses the accelerator down.

The six complaints reported to NHTSA include one reported
crash or fire. No injuries have been reported.

Under the investigation, NHTSA will request data from Ford
about owner complaints and warranty repairs from the problem.
If NHTSA decides the data suggest a defect, it will upgrade the
investigation to an engineering analysis.